28 May 2010

Welcome race fans! If you're headed out to the track this weekend, HBG has put together some craft beer options for you to take to the track. Enjoy!

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted to hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here!

21st Amendment is proud to be selling Sun King cans at 5 of our locations! We also have plenty of other high end canned beer options including Souther Star Pine Belt Pale, Blue Moon, Leinenkugal Summer Shandy, Fat Tire and Stevens Point Cascade Pale, Special Lager and Nude Beach Wheat. If you're looking for a convenient race package we have plenty of Bell's Oberon 5L mini-kegs.

For those of you just looking for something new we now have Three Floyd's Blackheart. It's an English style IPA aged on toasted oak.

The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory will be holding the annual Brew & Q on June 13th. Some changes to the program, the addition of some demonstrations and a live Best of Show judging will be great improvements to the event. Tickets are only $5 and include sample tickets. I'm not sure what breweries have committed at this point. I'm sure that MABC is involved, though. They're doing the barbecue.

This is the first year that the homebrew competition will be sanctioned. Registration ends on May 21st. Judging is June 12th. We will have a strong BJCP judge roster. Entries are $8 for the first entry and $4 for each additional entry. The first entry includes admission to the Conservatory's Brew & Q event on June 13th when winners will be announced and the Best of Show judging will be done as part of the activities.

27 May 2010

Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us, and in Indianapolis that means it's time for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing: The Indianapolis 500.

It may be old news to most, but there are a few beer-related things to know if you're making your way to the speedway. According to the spectator regulations page at IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com:

Coolers are permitted but size is restricted to no larger than 14 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches; coolers may be hard- or soft-sided.

Food and beverages are permitted, but no glass containers of any kind are allowed.

What that means is that you're going to be in the market for beer in cans. Lucky for you, we've put a little guide together.

One option is the 5 Liter Mini-Keg - it allows for a large quantity of beer in one convenient package. Perhaps the most common example is the Bell's Oberon 5L Mini Keg - available at the following HBG friendly locations: Keg Liquors (Clarksville), 21st Amendment (Broad Ripple), Big Red Liquors (Bloomington), United Package Liquors (Countyline and Meridian).

Of course if you want a little more variety in your beer choices, we're lucky in that there are now (finally) plenty of available craft beer cans. Our first choice is always local, and Sun King cans (Sunlight Cream Ale and Osiris Pale Ale) are available at the downtown brewery, 21st Amendment, Kahn's, Parti Pak, Goose the Market, Crown Downtown, Mass Ave. Wine Shop, and Vine & Table.

If you'd like to expand your options more, there are out of state can options. Here are just a few:

Now that you've got your beer sorted out, you'll need to pick a team to root for. Luckily we've sorted that out for you, too. Only one team at the Speedway is sponsored by an Indiana brewery - Conquest Racing, sponsored by Brugge Beerand Brasserie.

This is what a press release looks like:

Belgian Connection Sparks Brugge and Conquest Racing Partnership to Fuel Indianapolis School on Wheels Efforts to Break the Cycle of Homelessness through Education

Indianapolis, IN (May 20, 2010) – One local race team is pondering more than qualifying times and pole position stats this month. In an effort to help lessen Indy’s high rate of homeless children, Conquest Racing is helping Brugge Brasserie put the pedal to the metal to raise awareness and funds for School on Wheels.

While Conquest Racing is very focused on what is happening trackside these days, Team Owner, Eric Bachelart, also has a bigger picture in mind.

“Over the years, Ted Miller and I became good friends. He recently approached me and asked if Conquest might be interested in helping to promote the School on Wheels charity organization alongside Brugge. Because I feel extremely fortunate to be able to do what I do for a living, it feels good to get behind a cause like this and help the homeless kids of Indianapolis,” said Bachelart.

Beyond a love for racing and now a shared cause, Conquest and Brugge also have a Belgian connection in common. Abraham Benrubi, TV/Film Actor and Brugge Co-Owner, explains, “We’ve got Belgian food and beer…..Conquest has a Belgian driver and owner. Conversations happened, we all liked each other, and here we are. We are grateful to be partnering with Conquest and want to leverage the relationship to make a difference for Indy.”

With the vision of breaking the cycle of homelessness through education, School on Wheels has been tutoring homeless children in Indianapolis for the past ten years. In 2009, local volunteer tutors donated nearly 5,000 hours of time to working with area youth to support the organization’s mission to enhance and enrich educational opportunities for school-aged homeless children.

“Armed with the knowledge that the average age of a homeless person in Indianapolis is nine years old and that children make up 30% of the City’s homeless population supporting School on Wheels was an easy choice for all of us,” said Ted Miller, Brugge Co-Owner.

Donations to School on Wheels will be accepted at Brugge though the end of June. Special promotions and driver photos will also be available on-site at Brugge.

In a nondescript warehouse near the State Fairgrounds is stored the remains of the fallen Ft. Wayne brewery, Warbird. The brewing equipment is awaiting the next chapter of its life.

On Wednesday night, fifty-plus people were in attendance as Michael DeWeese, Jon Lang and David Waldman gave us a peek at what is next: Triton Brewing Company.

After failing to come to an agreement with the Thr3e Wise Men Brewery1, the trio formerly known as Beer Baron parted ways with Thr3e Wise Men and began to formulate the plans for Triton. The production brewery has not yet settled on a location, but they are currently looking at the northeast side of town, along the Binford Boulevard corridor. Their current plans include them installing the brewery equipment as soon as next month. When they open later this fall, you will not only find a taproom, but the first third2 brewery in the state to use a reverse osmosis system for treating the water used in brewing. The goal is to break the water down to its simplest form and add in minerals as needed for the particular beer styles. Bottling will be done with the help of a bottle filler purchased from Barrel House in Cincinnati.

Looking like the end of the year, October or November depending on all of the paperwork. The actual location will be somewhere between 146th and 64th, leaning heavily towards 64th Street area. (We've heard Binford, possibly.)

6) Do you have any influences?

Just a passion for brewing. Started in 1990 and have been going strong since.

Along with unveiling their new logo, they offered up samples of homebrew test batches: an English mild and two takes on their flagship IPA, one with American yeast and one with English yeast. The IPAs featured big citrus hops, and the mild was surprisingly strong and malty. The guests were invited to vote on their favorite name for the IPA, choosing between "No Hopologies," "Hopaloompa" and "Rail Splitter." A write-in campaign for "AnticIPAtion" was also underway.

T-Shirt Giveaway!

Tell us in the comments which IPA name you like the best: No Hopologies, Hopaloompa, Rail Splitter, AnticIPAtion - or write in your own! We'll choose a random comment at 5PM EST on Friday and that person will win an XL Triton Brewing Company T-Shirt! One entry per person. We'll announce the winner in the comments so make sure to check back Friday after 5 to see if you've won.

Hoosier Beer Geek wishes Mike, David, and Jon the best of luck with their brewery. We look forward to drinking Triton Brewing Company beer in draft and bottles.

* * * * *

1The lease for the Broad Ripple space has already been signed by Thr3e Wise Men, but they are back in the hunt for a brewer and equipment.

2Big Woods Brewing company already has a reverse osmosis system in place, and we've just received word that Sun King will be installing a system next week.

26 May 2010

This edition of the Rock Bottom Brewer's Dinner featured slightly lighter fare, both in the beer and food departments. A surprising take on the summer wheat was one of the highlights of the night, as well as the re-appearance of the World Beer Cup winning Subzero.

First Course: Fresh Spring Soup paired with Cerveza Especiale

Why it worked: The Cerveza Especiale is the seasonal Vienna Lager brewed each year. Vienna Lager is effectively the Swiss Army knife of beer and food pairings; it works with just about anything. Popular styles include Dos Equis Amber and Negra Modelo. The style features just enough sweetness in the body and a light, effervescent finish accented with a hint of hops. In this situation, the cream in the spring soup (similar in thickness to a potato soup) was sweetened by the caramel malts. The slightly hopped finish of the beer quickly cleared the palate, leaving the mouth renewed and ready for more.

Second Course: Shrimp Bruschetta paired with Catcher in the Rye IPA

Why it worked: Catcher in the Rye is a heavier bodied IPA with lots of citrus and grapefruit hop notes and a very prominent rye spiciness. The Shrimp Bruschetta contained a good dose of basil and appeared to be tossed in oil. The basil was the key player in this pairing, creating a strong herbal, almost minty sensation that prevented the hops from overpowering the palate (which they would do on their own). However, just because the bitterness of the hops was reduced doesn't mean their effectiveness was. The hops worked their cleansing powers and ensured that no oily presence was left on the tongue, creating a very pleasant experience.

Third Course: Balsamic Glazed Salmon paired with Liquid Sunshine

Why it worked: This beer was a bit unexpected, with noticeable orange peel and even a slight lactic tartness in the back. Brewed in the style of a Belgian Wit, this beer took the style in a new and interesting direction. Tart flavors will typically cut right through any other flavors, but in this beer the sensation was both balanced enough and located in the back of the mouth so that the other flavors could shine. Perhaps the most intriguing side effect of this tartness was the ability to heighten both salty and sweet flavors in the glaze. The orange, banana and lemon flavors in the beer all worked very well with the salmon and its glaze. Since orange and lemon are flavors you might expect to find in a salmon glaze or marinade, it is of little surprise that they would also find a welcome home in the beer.

Fourth Course: Chocolate Mousse paired with Subzero

Why it worked: To be quite honest, it didn't. Jerry knew this, he was just looking for an excuse to bring this award-winner back out. The reason it did not work is that the strong caramel flavors, fig and dark fruit notes and spicy Belgian yeast simply overpowered the simple creamy and slightly bitter dark chocolate flavors of the mousse. That said, the sugary dessert did mask any bitterness both in the chocolate and the beer when combined. The Subzero alone is worthy enough to be called dessert and is aging especially well. There is no doubt why this beer is Jerry's most award winning.

Pairing lessons: Hops do an excellent job of cleansing the palate, especially when used in moderation. You want to cleanse the palate, not destroy it. When trying to balance strong hop flavors, bold herbs do an excellent job of cutting through the hops with citrus characteristics. The easiest way to pair food with beer is to imagine the flavors of the beer being ingredients in the food; if it seems natural, then it will probably work. Finally, be careful when pairing sugary flavors. Pay attention to the flavors surrounding the sweetness. The spicy caramel sweetness of a big Belgian is best saved for meats and cheeses, while a chocolate stout is going to go wonderfully with dessert.

24 May 2010

"Just look at their site! Skulls! And lightning! They're not like us!"

They were wrong.

A crowd of 50 plus friends (and one guy who never gets the hint that he's supposed to bring something to the party) descended on the back lot of the Sun King Brewery this past Saturday. Because they know we like to have a good time. We like to see everyone have a good time. And when you're spending an afternoon with a crowd full of good people, the good times are inevitable.

It wasn't more than an hour or so into the day when we realized our goal for an unrivaled Double IPA competition might be an impossible task. The donation table quickly filled with worthy candidates - so many that we thought it best to push the pace.

And so we started - one ounce samples were poured, each beer only labeled with a letter. We asked the crowd to pick their favorite out of group one (a group of five). There was one overwhelming choice - Three Floyd's Dreadnaught. As it turns out, the beer lives up to the hype.

We continued the pattern through six groups before it became obvious that we just wouldn't make it through all the candidates. So we opened the remaining beer, and set it out on a table for sampling.

Of course the DIPA competition wasn't the only beer available on the day - folks brought all sorts of beer for sharing. And food for sharing. Because TFN is about sharing. That's why Rodney wears his Share Bear costume.

We want to say thanks to everyone who came out - for your generosity toward your fellow beer geeks, for your never say die attitude toward sampling, and for the overall feeling of comradery that permeated the event. Awesome stuff. Thanks to the folks at Sun King for providing the space, good attitude, and guest tours. Thanks to Ross from the beer meetup group for bringing his friends along. Thanks to Jason for sharing his sausage with everyone.

21 May 2010

Hey there. How's American Craft Beer Week been treating you? I was lucky enough to be able to share in good company and try the Schlafly APA cask and the Bell's Expedition cask at MacNiven's as well as a few other awesome beers and events this week. How about you? Don't beer yourselves out too much though, we want to see you on Saturday for the Tailgate for Nothing! We look forward to seeing some new faces from the Indy Beer Meetup Group as well as old friends.

Not only is it American Craft Beer Week, but it is also Bike to Work Week. Many of the Knights in the group enjoy both - but for one, it has not worked out so well. Please send good vibes to our fellow Knight, Chris, who suffered two broken arms as well as a bunch of scrapes and bruises following a bicycle vs. truck accident on Wednesday night. We hope the two broken arms don't keep him from drinking some good beer! Beer is like pain medication, right?

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted to hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here!

Suzie's Sweet Stout is an oatmeal/milk stout created by Howard County Homebrewer Larry Barnhart. It won Best In Show at the Indiana State Fair Brewer's Cup Homebrew Competition. We had Larry come in and brew his recipe at our brewery to show our appreciation and support for the local craft beer/homebrew culture. We are celebrating American Craft Beer Week this week, with the release of this delicious craft beer collaboration from Half Moon brewer John Templet and homebrewer extraordinaire Larry Barnhart.

Jared Williamson, brewer of 'Specialties, Seasonals and Experimentals' at our Grant Line brewery, reports that brewing of the remaining two beers in our special series of World Cup Beers - one for each of the US team's first round matches - was completed this week. Brews in this series draw on ingredients from the lands the competing teams represent, USA v. England, USA v. Slovenia and USA v. Algeria.

For US v. England on June 12 we'll have an English Ordinary Bitter brewed with extraordinary American hops. Jared calls the Ordinary the "lightest and most 'sessionable' of Bitters."

A French / Belgian Style Biere de Garde will be our accompaniment for June 23rd's USA v. Algeria match. This brew will employ a Belgian pale malt, Biscuit Malt, Special B hops, US Golding leaf hops in the mash, Ginger, Cinnamon and an Apricot extract of Jared's concoction infused in the boil.

Our first World Cup Special, brewed to be enjoyed with the game between the US and Slovenia on June 18, was casked last week and was brewed with two European malts, Bohemian Pilsener and Vienna, two American, Carapils and White Wheat, and was dry-hopped with Slovenian grown Styrian Goldings.

Double Dragonfly Imperial IPA is being packaged next week. Ask your favorite bartender or liquor store when this bountifully bitter new brew will be taking flight...

Events:

Get your fill of the Uplands in Madison, IN this weekend at the Ohio River Valley Folk Festival. We'll be pouring Wheat Ale, Dragonfly IPA, Helios Pale Ale, Rad Red, and Nut Hugger Brown Ale all weekend long! Visit uplandbeer.com for more info.

Beer is an elusive thing, it's here, and then it's there and then sometimes it's gone....

Last Beer night with Tom they did the Great Divide Brewing Company and it was good.

We are excited to tell you that the Bloomington Brewing Company is going to start self-distribution to the Indy Market in the very near future...in addition to them having added taps at Lennie's so that they number like 15 or 16 now...that's two beer engines and two nitro taps doncha' know?

Oatmeal Stout from Breckenridge and that will change shortly to BBC Nitro Stout, we were fortunate to get two 1/6ths of Hapoon's Leviathan which is a nice big IPA this year....We step up to Boulder's Looking Glass series with Mojo Risen (a 10% dbl IPA), for the tasty and smooth Sun King Cream Ale (which at 5%+ is deceptively benign) and we also are offering Two-Heartedfrom Bell's to round it out. In the wings we have from People's in Lafayette their IPA I think it is Tyrennea or something of the sort.

Look for the BBC Beers at Scotty's Brewhouse, or you could check with the BBC Facebook page I would imagine.

Check out our totally revamped beer section as you get ready for TFN2. We've got plenty of Bell's Oberon 5L Mini Keg's as well as a new high end canned beer section headlined by Sun King cans. If you're looking to impress for the DIPA contest, we have a limited amount of Dogfish Head Squall. Don't forget we always have other great DIPA's such as, Harpoon Leviathon, Great Divide Hercules and Boulevard Double-Wide.

Shmaltz He'Brew RIPA on Ryeis He'Brew's RIPA Double Rye IPA aged in Sazerac 6 year Rye Whiskey Barrels for over 3 months!! There are only a few cases of this in the state allocated to the top HeBrew RIPA accounts, so make sure to get some if you can find it!

There is a limited edition FIFA World Cup Weihenstephaner Gift Set including 3 bottles of Weihestephaner and a limited edition FIFA World Cup Glass!! These are a limited, one-time only run, so grab some and get ready for USA vs England.

--Just in time for the race, we have a beer from Tomas Scheckter's family & 2 ciders now available in cans!!

Tomas & Jody Scheckter present Laverstoke Park Organic English Ale & Lager just in time for the race!! Laverstoke Park Organic beers are produced with grains from Jody Scheckter's Laverstoke Park Farms. The logo was on Tomas Scheckter's Indy Car and will be again this year! Both the Lager & Ale come in 16.9oz bottles.

Blackthorn Cider is now available in 4pk, 16.9 oz CANS!!

Williams Sir Perry Pear Cider is now available in the market and comes in 4pk, 16.9 oz CANS as well.

The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory will be holding the annual Brew & Q on June 13th. Some changes to the program, the addition of some demonstrations and a live Best of Show judging will be great improvements to the event. Tickets are only $5 and include sample tickets. I'm not sure what breweries have committed at this point. I'm sure that MABC is involved, though. They're doing the barbecue.

This is the first year that the homebrew competition will be sanctioned. Registration ends on May 21st. Judging is June 12th. We will have a strong BJCP judge roster. Entries are $8 for the first entry and $4 for each additional entry. The first entry includes admission to the Conservatory's Brew & Q event on June 13th when winners will be announced and the Best of Show judging will be done as part of the activities.

"What's in a name?" asked Shakespeare in Romeo & Juliet. "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

The message is that names are not important. What matters is not what a thing is called, but what the thing actually is.

But is this notion true? Do names really mean so little?

Think about these examples--

- Had the Spartan king who led 300 of his men against Xerxes' Persian horde at the Battle of Thermopylae been named Bob instead of Leonidas--translated as "leonine"--would he have become the stuff of legend?

- Jacob wrestled with a mysterious being (who some say was an angel, others God) and would not yield to the being. Consequently, he was renamed Israel, "He Who Struggles with God." Israel went on to sire the ancestors of the Jewish people, who were known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Would history have been the same if Moses had instead led the Twelve Tribes of Jake out of Egypt?

- Upon his corruption by the Emperor and his turning to the dark side of the Force, Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. If Skywalker had instead been rechristened Jeff Vader (my apologies to Eddie Izzard for stealing his shtick), would he have instilled the same sense of fear and foreboding?

My examples are admittedly a bit facetious. Yet in all seriousness, my point is this: names are important. Names grant a thing or person an identity. A change of name can mark a life-altering experience. Names tell us what to expect. Names hold power. So a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but "smell-good-flower" doesn't quite have the same ring to it as "rose," does it?

On a Wednesday afternoon, the bar at Brugge Brasserie carries a leisurely atmosphere. It's the period between lunch and dinner, that sleepy restaurant netherworld where diners can eat and drink in relative quiet.

Brewer Ted Miller is present, touting his two newest beers. The first he pours is Brugge Dubbel. "Dubbel" is a name well-recognized by craft beer lovers. We know what to expect when we see that name: a brown body; a nose evoking dark fruits and spices; a velvety mouthfeel; and a slightly sugary finish. Ted admits that his dubbel is still a little green, and I can taste that because the beer leaves a little hotness in my throat. Ted opines that in a few days time, the beer will be entering its prime. I know that he's right. I'm also know that Ted's beer is true to style; it fits squarely within the category "dubbel." It is true to its name.

The second beer, in contrast, has no name. It's the Clint Eastwood of beers if the beer were the main protagonist of a Sergio Leone western. Ted pours a sample, which sits cloudy and ruby-red in the glass. This beer is Ted's answer to Lindemans' lambics, but with a true-to-style sourness that Lindemans lambics don't have. What's more, the Beer with No Name is made with a different kind of berry: the boysenberry. The sourness is pleasant. It's a soft tartness rather than an acetic sourness, and it blends well with the berries' sweetness. There is, however, a definite alcohol kick, which you certainly wouldn't find in a true lambic. So in this instance, the fact that the beer is nameless seems to fit the situation because the beer perhaps defies naming; it cannot be easily categorized.

Ted gestures to the chalkboard above the brewhouse entrance. The name at the bottom of the beer list says "Pooka." That name, he says, is the one he's thinking of giving the beer. It's what the servers are currently calling it. But he's undecided; he's not sure that he likes the proposed name.

A discussion about naming the beer ensues. I announce that I like the name Pooka. Ted explains that a pooka is a type of spirit or faerie from folklore that has a relationship with berries. As to what that relationship is precisely--well, I'll let him explain that to you the next time you see him at the bar. Suffice it to say that it is a relationship which might make you second-guess the propriety of that name.

Other names are discussed. "Boysen-the-hood." Kind of funny. "Berry Kitty." No. "Cosmic Kitty" or "Kosmic Kitty." Hmmm. I'm not sure about that one. Perhaps it's appropriate; the beer seems to be the berryish cousin of Bad Kitty. But the name makes me think of catnip because there's a catnip brand called Cosmic Catnip.

It seems as if Pooka might stick. Sometimes, when a name is used for long enough, it remains even if the name might not precisely fit the thing. What is more, the dinner hour has finally arrived, which is my cue to head home.

If this beer is still on at Brugge and you crave one of the few locally-brewed sour beers, ask for Pooka. Or Boysen-the-hood. Or Kosmic Kitty. Or just ask for "that berry thing."

17 May 2010

An Indiana Microbrewers Festival tradition continues. The summer ReplicAle has been selected! It is a Bavarian Dunkel/Schwarzbier and Dave Colt from Sun King Brewing provides some background:

The summer ReplicAle recipe this year comes from the very first comercially brewed beer in the state. Here is some info about the brewer and beer:

The name of the brewer was George Bentel. His house is still standing in New Harmony. The Harmonist brewer and cooper, George Bentel, was born November 3, 1781 in Iptingen, the same village in the Swabian kingdom of Württemberg where George Rapp was born. Bentel lived at the northeast corner of Brewery and Grainery streets, where his house remains today, as upright as when Indiana's first brewer marched out to make his beer almost two centuries ago.

The German utopian communalists in New Harmony were Indiana's first significant brewers. Beginning in 1816, the Harmonists eventually brewed enough to sell all the way up to what is now West Virginia and down into lower Illinois. From the historical record, it appears the Harmonists brewed a porter-like dark beer. It must have been pretty good beer: An educated German, Ferdinand Ernst, stopped in New Harmony during his journey through the frontier region. “They served me a stein of beer,” Ernst wrote, “and I was not a little astonished to find here a genuine, real Bamberg beer.” He gushed that the Harmonists “must be happiest people of entire Christiandom.” A Louisville agent for the Harmonists reported, “Mr. Breeden, the most celebrated porter seller in the place says the strongest part of it would almost pass for porter and is the best beer he has ever seen in this country….”

16 May 2010

Last week marked the closing of Hoosier Beer Geek's original haunt, the bar/restaurant once known as Deano's Vino.

Our history with Deano's stretches way back to November of 2006 (KOTBR #6) - a time so far back that Deano's served as our formal introduction to IPAs. Far from just a wine bar, Deano's was on the city's forefront of bringing a good variety of craft beer to thirsty visitors. HBG founder Chris - never a stranger to enthusiasm - had this to say back then:

The atmosphere is fantastic, the staff are super-friendly and very knowledgeable, the beer list is out of this world, and the food is pretty damn good, too. If you haven't been there yet, I say this is THE essential new restaurant/bar in the 317 to check out. I can promise that many more reviews from the KOTBR will come to you from Deano's.

His "more reviews to come from Deano's" statement was certainly accurate - we eventually roundtabled at Deano's another seven times, making it the location we've visited most when reviewing a beer.

This isn't to say that Deano's was without flaws - the friendly, but more than casual attitude of the staff was sure to put off those who weren't regulars. The food, while tasty, may have been overpriced. The loss of ownership partner / wine guy / excitement magnet Deano Wilson certainly wasn't a good sign.

It was hard not to notice that the folks who had been regulars slowly trickled off - be it the newer competition in the neighborhood or just the loss of a vibe - but each consequent visit seemed a little sadder - like visiting a dying friend in a hospital. The bar tried a name change and a menu tweaking, but it was hard to ignore the wine bottles coming off the walls and the beer menu shrinking. Once the stench of failure set into the place it seemed like it was only a matter of time.

It was a sad finish for a place that always treated us well. Our first anniversary party at Deano's was our introduction to our audience, and it was at Deano's that we gave our only ever perfect beer score. Deano's was our default New Year's party location, and the first bar that I ever felt like a regular at. I wish more people would have seen it the way we did. The good times we shared won't soon be forgotten.

Our thoughts go out to the staff and ownership - it was a good run, and here's hoping greener pastures await you.

In Part 3 of our series, "Where to Drink - Great Beer, Bars, and Brewpubs in Indianapolis," we explore an area of town at which too many people turn up their noses: the South Side. If you think there aren't any places to enjoy craft beer south of the Mile Square, prepare now to be enlightened--

14 May 2010

How are you this fine Friday? Next week is American Craft Beer week and there are a lot of events going on around town. Let's make a deal, you tell me if you find something good and I will do the same. Don't forget about the tailgate on Saturday!

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted to hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here!

Hoosier Beer CalendarEvents are subject to change

Friday, May 14th at 21st Amendment Broad Ripple: Sun King Can Release party

Our store is proud to have been chosen to be one of the first group to have Sun King cans on our shelf. Come by tonight from 5-7 for our can release party. The guys from Sun King will be here pouring free samples and we'll have a few other surprises for all who attend!

In addition we've spent all week expanding our beer section. We've got in the neighborhood of 50 new products ready and waiting for you. There are new options from breweries such as Schlafly, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, Great Divide, Mad River, North Coast, Bell's, Thirsty Dog, Hoppin' Frog, Two Brother's, Victory, Crispin and Founders. That's just a small taste of all the malted goodness we now have available for you.
Stop in tonight, you may just find your new favorite beer store!

Test your accent...you've got it right if no one says bless you after you say, "Monschoff Schwarzbier." It's bitter in a hoppy kind of way and surprisingly refreshing for its deep black pour. Bless you.

It's like Mr. Miyagi having the kid swap the deck...The master brewers at Heavy Seas worked with the winner of their homebrew competition to release Daniel-son's hop rye porter, this year's Letter of Marque.

Hey, hot dog. Those Great Danes keep the bar high with their Mikkeller Draft, an Imperial Pislner with Fido's intense bitterness and Lassie's malty sweetness.

MacNiven's will have all American Craft Beers on tap next week, replacing Belhaven with Barley Island 80 Schilling Scotch Ale, Guinness with Schlafly Oatmeal Stout, and Stella, Saison DuPont, and Spaten Mai Bock will also leave in favor of specialty releases including:

We have a ton of exciting new beers & events to commemorative American Craft Beer Week!!

The 2010 Vintage of Founders Old Curmudgeon was released this week and should be available in most craft beer establishments that support Founders throughout the state. Old Curmudgeon is an Old Ale style, released only once each year by Founders. This Old Ale conjures up thoughts of classic sea fairing ports, there local pubs and the weathered fisherman that frequent them. In traditional style Curmudgeon is brewed with an intense focus on the malt bill creating a very strong, rich, malty characteristic and a sweetness indicative of its cousin the barleywine. We are especially proud of the balance in this beer making it deceptively smooth and drinkable at 9.8% alcohol by volume.

This year's Old Curmudgeon is much, much more limited than in years past, so make sure you get some now while it's available!

There are 3 seasonal releases from Great Divide Brewing Co that just hit this week as well:

Great Divide Belgica Belgian-style IPA. The Roman name for the Low Counties - is a marriage of the best in American and Belgian brewing traditions. Belgian pilsner malt, a generous amount of American and European hops and a unique Belgian yeast strain combine to give Belgica big notes of citrus and spice, creating a lively concoction perfect for spring in the Rockies - or the Ardennes. 7.2% ABV

Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout --Welcome to the newest incarnation of our revered imperial stout. We toned down the hops a bit to allow cocoa nibs to contribute some pleasing bitterness, while vanilla notes from the oak combine with the cocoa to create an aroma and flavor akin to a gourmet chocolate bar. A dash of cayenne keeps things lively, adding just a bit of heat to the finish. A Yeti for summer? Hell yes. 9.5% ABV.

Great Divide Dunkle Weiss --Think of it as hefeweizen’s older brother. A hearty mix of wheat and dark German barley malts gives it a medium body and muddy brown hue, while our proprietary yeast strain provides the signature notes of banana and clove. If you like wheat beers, come to the Dunkel side. You won’t be disappointed. Just don’t put a lemon in it. 6.4% ABV

Cavalier Distributing is proud to announce that we are now representing Stevens Point Brewery out of Stevens Point, WI!! The following styles will be availble everyday in 6pk bottles: Belgian White Ale, Cascade Pale Ale, Burly Brown Ale, 2012 Black Ale, & Special Lager along with their summer seasonal....Nude Beach Summer Wheat! For those of you looking for more good craft beer in a can, the Cascade Pale, Nude Beach & Special Lager will all be available in cans as well!! Make sure to grab some for the track, the beach, the pool, because it's Friday....

We are very excited to say that there is fresh Stone Brew hitting shelves and bars across the state this week!!

American Craft Beer Week Events:

Tuesday 5/18 is Stone night @ MacNivens. MacNivens will be tapping a special keg of Stone Cali-Belgique and will feature bottles of Stone / Brew Dog Bashah Collaboration Ale. Also bottles of Smoked Porter, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Arrogant Bastard, Ruination IPA, and Levitation will be featured.

Founders Beer Dinner at Finche's Brasserie in Bloomington Thursday 5/20. The event begins at 6pm and will feature a reception with appetizer pairings along with three courses including a trio of desserts. Founders KBS, Centennial IPA, Pale Ale, Cerise, Porter, Red's Rye PA and Diablo del Noche (Black IPA), will all be featured throughout the evening. Tickets are $45 each and selling out fast, so contact Finche's if you are interested!

Special Founders tapping at Fox 'n Hound on 82nd St. in Castleton, Friday night 5/21 starting at 4:30pm. Featuring a rare Founders Beer only available on draft along with everyday selections....

Illiana Mayfest at Lake County Fairgrounds on Saturday 5/22 from 4-8 pm. The event will feature many regional breweries, the local homebrew club & a few distributors as well. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Cavalier will be featuring New Albanian Brewing Co, People's Brewing Co & Mad Anthony Brewing Co.

The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory will be holding the annual Brew & Q on June 13th. Some changes to the program, the addition of some demonstrations and a live Best of Show judging will be great improvements to the event. Tickets are only $5 and include sample tickets. I'm not sure what breweries have committed at this point. I'm sure that MABC is involved, though. They're doing the barbecue.

This is the first year that the homebrew competition will be sanctioned. Registration ends on May 21st. Judging is June 12th. We will have a strong BJCP judge roster. Entries are $8 for the first entry and $4 for each additional entry. The first entry includes admission to the Conservatory's Brew & Q event on June 13th when winners will be announced and the Best of Show judging will be done as part of the activities.

13 May 2010

The following is not a Hoosier Beer Geek event, but we definitely support the cause.

WHAT: A Backyard BBQ to benefit The Gabe Jordan Foundation
WHEN: May 23rd 2010 from 3 PM to 6 PM
WHERE: 1912 Broad Ripple Ave. Indianapolis IN 46220 (H2O Sushi)
WHY: Because we love and support him
WHO: Eli and Nicole Anderson of H2O Sushi,
Dave &KrissyTallent of Restaurant Tallent,
Ryan Nelson of The Oceanaire Seafood Room,
Johnnie Thomas of The Mandarin Orient Washington DC,
Brent & Hannah Joseph of King David Dogs,
Greg Hardesty of Recess,
Chris Eley of Goose the Market
BEVERAGES: Sun King Brewery, Three Floyd’s Brewing Company,
National Wine and Spirit, Crossroad Vintners, World of Wines, Brugge Brasserie
PRICE: $100 per person to be paid in advance
FORM of PAYMENT: Cash or Checks (made out to The Gabe Jordan Foundation)
(Credit Cards are not accepted for this event)

This is an Open House Style get-together to benefit the Jordan family after the incident that left Gabe paralyzed on Nov 8, 2010. We will also have a silent auction that will close at 5:30 so make sure to be here prior to that 'cause we have some really cool stuff.

Please email responses to eli@h20sushibar.com and we will confirm your reservation and follow up on any comments, questions or concerns.
We are capping this backyard barbeque style party to the first 150 people who sign up. First come first serve.

Gabe Jordan is on a lot of our minds lately. For many of us, it's not because he's a close friend or anything quite so personal. But he's an integral part of the Indianapolis local food scene, and there's a connectiveness in that small but big-hearted world that transcends age, gender, income, neighborhood, race. It's about food and hospitality, friendship and authenticity. For those of you who are patrons and not cooks or servers or wine stewards, it's about appreciation and gratitude.

Gabe was the wine guy at Goose the Market at 2503 N. Delaware. He is also the general manager for restaurateur Greg Hardesty's new dining venture at 49th and College, called Recess. Before that, he had connections to a number of top restaurants in the city. And in his yard, he tended a garden where he grew wonderful food.

Then, he was shot. He was walking his dog Sunday Nov. 8 in his Eastside Christian Park neighborhood, where he lives with his wife and baby son. Two thugs approached him and stole $20 -- a pittance, for God's sake -- then viciously shot him in the back. Now he is paralyzed.

While his story has faded from the day-to-day news cycle (one of the great problems with newspapers is that they only cover "news"), it's very real and vivid on the blog, gabejordan.org. The blog has lots of entries that make you laugh and cry: about the surgeries he's undergoing at Wishard Hospital, and comments that only friends can make. There are also some lovely photos of Gabe with his family -- wife Brooke, a surgery tech at the Indiana Heart Hospital, and their sweet baby boy, Ezra, 12 months.

Obviously, there are going to be huge medical expenses, and one of the truisms for workers in the food industry is that medical benefits are as scarce as Republican backers of national health care. Gabe Jordan was the unintended victim of a horrible crime; it could have happened to any of us, on the wrong street at the wrong time and meeting up with the wrong people.

By supporting Jordan and his family through this incident, we can stand together, as friends, as foodies, as neighbors. The benefit dinner which will be May 23, 2010 is an amazing opportunity to show your support and help raise money for Gabe and his family. One hundred percent of the evening has been donated from time, to food, to wine, and the items we are collecting for a silent auction to further raise money for the Jordans. This is a great opportunity to get your product(s) in front of a huge audience. I hope you choose to participate in this inspiring evening. Please contact me at eli@h20sushibar.com.

Mark your calendars for May 22nd for our Tailgate for Nothing 2. We hope you'll join us as we attempt a Double IPA double blind test. More information can be found here. We hope you'll be there!

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted tohoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here!

Hoosier Beer CalendarEvents are subject to change

Friday, May 7th: Entries for Upcup are due

Friday, May 7th at Power House Brewing Co. in Columbus: Holy Cow Stout (firkin)

Tuesday, May 11th from 5-7 pm at Parti Pak in Greenwood: Sun King Can Release party

Friday, May 14th at 21st Amendment Broad Ripple: Sun King Can Release party

For the first time ever, NABC will have beer pouring in Louisville Slugger Field, home of the Triple-A Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds affiliate). Our Louisville wholesaler, River City Distributing, shipped four kegs of Beak's Best (American Bitter) to Centerplate, the stadium concessionaire, this week. The current homestand runs from May 6 - 13, including an 11:00 a.m. game on Wednesday, May 12, when we're planning a ballpark bash. Details to be determined, so check our Facebook early next week.

On tap at Lafayette Brewing this weekend: Prophet's Rock Pale Ale; East Side Bitter; Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale; Tippecanoe Common Ale; Eighty-Five; Black Angus Oatmeal Stout; How Now Brown Ale; Star City Lager and our latest release, Maifest. We've also got just a bit more cask-conditioned Digby's Irish Stout that we're dispensing from the hand pull.

On the entertainment front: On Friday, we'll host our monthly show with local improv artists, One Size Fits All. On Saturday, things will really be hoppin' around LBC! First, we've got a Friends of Bob production featuring The Holmes Brothers on our 2nd floor with an 8 pm show time. In addition, we've got the season kick-off of Mosey Down Main Street. This series of free street fairs runs from 2nd St. to 11th St. on Main and features live music, dancing, food vendors, crafts, kid's areas and much, much more! Stop by for a growler to sip while exploring the unique atmosphere that downtown Lafayette has to offer.

New on tap at Half Moon:The Slump Buster – Raspberry Cream Ale It’s been a while since the last fruit beer at Half Moon. Well, the slump is over! This raspberry cream ale is a light bodied ale flavored with lots and lots of raspberries. It has a deep raspberry red color, a wonderful raspberry aroma, and a sweet-tart fresh raspberry flavor. Bring your friends to enjoy this nice warm weather beer and who knows, you might just bust a slump of your own! O.G.=1.046 ABV=5.0% IBU=16

Coming Soon!:Suzie's Sweet Stout - This oatmeal/milk stout was the Best In Show at last years Brewer's Cup Homebrew Competition at the Indiana State Fair. Homebrewer Larry Barnhart came to the Half Moon and brewed his outstanding Sweet Stout for us all to enjoy here in Kokomo. The release of this beer will be Thursday, May 20th as part of the American Craft Beer Week celebration. Make your plans now, this one won't last long.

Fresh on our shelves, Brooklyn Summer Ale. This is a light, refreshing English-style ale, similar to a bitter, designed to be enjoyed in hot weather with summer fare. In addition we still have Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, a beautiful wood aged, large brown ale, ready to drink now but happy to be aged for up to five years. Don't forget to swing by for our free beer tasting, Fridays at 5. We'll be tasting Goose Island all this month, today we'll be sampling Sophie. Come by and give it a try.

Cavalier is proud to announce that we are officially distributing People's Brewing Co. beers throughout the entire state!! We will start with two everyday offerings on draft, People's Pilsner & IPA. Both styles will be available in draft only in both 1/2 & 1/6 bbl kegs. People's Brew is already in several fine craft beer establishments in metro Indianapolis & Lafayette, and is soon to be in many more throughout the state. Support local beer and enjoy some People's Brew soon!!

The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory will be holding the annual Brew & Q on June 13th. Some changes to the program, the addition of some demonstrations and a live Best of Show judging will be great improvements to the event. Tickets are only $5 and include sample tickets. I'm not sure what breweries have committed at this point. I'm sure that MABC is involved, though. They're doing the barbecue.

This is the first year that the homebrew competition will be sanctioned. Registration ends on May 21st. Judging is June 12th. We will have a strong BJCP judge roster. Entries are $8 for the first entry and $4 for each additional entry. The first entry includes admission to the Conservatory's Brew & Q event on June 13th when winners will be announced and the Best of Show judging will be done as part of the activities.

KOTBR #90 - Medal Winners - We visit Barley Island and Brugge Brasserie in Broad Ripple to try some medal winning beers. Things get interesting when we are joined by some special guests, including Michael Phelps, Rob Halford, Glenn Danzig, and Brugge's very own Ted Miller.

Beer: The Pedal Pusher's Potion - Our first in depth feature receives support from Dogfish Head, Left Hand, Breckenridge Brewery, and Smuttynose, and draws in hits from hundreds of cyclists looking for a beer buzz.